The present invention relates, in general, to a loading car for bulk materials, and more particularly but not exclusively to a loading car of a type having a storage box with a bottom conveyor belt with which a transfer conveyor belt is associated, wherein the storage box is mounted by swivel rings on a vehicle undercarriage frame which is supported for mobility on a railroad track by rail undercarriages and includes first and second car frames connected to one another by a coupler.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,993,131 describes a loading car for bulk materials with an elongated vehicle undercarriage frame which is supported by rail undercarriages on a track. The vehicle undercarriage frame is composed of two car frames which are arranged following one another on a railroad track and are connected to one another by a coupler. A storage box having a carrying frame is supported on each of the car frames by means of a respective swivel ring, one of which is longitudinally shiftable in order to allow a movement of the storage box relative to the car frames when the car is traveling through track curves. Support members are positioned between the storage box, or rather the carrying frame, and the car frames of the vehicle undercarriage frame to provide lateral stability. These support members are designed as helical springs which serve to transfer the load of the storage box to the vehicle undercarriage frame.
German utility model document DE 92 14 176 U1 also shows a loading car for bulk materials, having two car frames which are articulatedly connected to one another and on which a storage box with a bottom conveyor belt is supported.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved loading car which ensures a best possible distribution of load to the supporting rail undercarriages situated between the swivel rings.
These objects, and others which will become apparent hereinafter, are attained in accordance with the present invention by a loading car for bulk materials which comprises a vehicle undercarriage frame extending in a longitudinal direction and having a first car frame and a second car frame connected to one another by means of a coupler. Rail undercarriages are provided for supporting the vehicle undercarriage frame for mobility on a railroad track. A carrying frame is mounted on the first and the second car frame, respectively, by means of a swivel ring in each case, and a storage box is built on the carrying frame. A bottom conveyor belt is disposed in the storage box and has a discharge end, and a transfer conveyor belt is associated with the discharge end of the bottom conveyor belt and extends at an angle to a horizontal plane. Support members are disposed between the storage box and the first and second car frame, respectively, and comprise in each case two hydraulic cylinders positioned opposite one another transversely to the longitudinal direction.
The use of hydraulic cylinders as support members for the storage box makes it possible in an advantageous way to very easily and in a simple manner adjust the supporting force acting upon the storage box or on the carrying frame. Thus, it is possible to take into account the different weight of the storage box when it is either completely filled or in an empty condition, or in any of the stages in-between. In this way, it is consequently possible to achieve an optimal load distribution to the rail undercarriages, particularly those which are situated centrally with regard to the longitudinal direction, so that the maximum permissible axial loads can be utilized fully without exceeding the highest prescribed limits. In connection with the use of a pressure storage unit, the hydraulic cylinders of the support members can be actuated without difficulty also during transfer travel of the loading car, during which the hydraulic motor may be shut off.
According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, there is provided at each location of a support member a transverse beam, extending perpendicularly to the longitudinal direction and fastened in each case to the first or second car frame, respectively. Each hydraulic cylinder of each support member is articulatedly connected with one end to the respective first or second car frame and with its other end to the transverse beam by means of a pivot joint.
According to yet another aspect of the invention, two of said transverse beams are provided at each respective location, the two beams lying opposite one another transversely to the longitudinal direction, with each beam having an end positioned centrally of the car. Further, each beam is fastened with said end to the respective car frame by means of a pivot joint having an axis extending in the longitudinal direction.